Revelations continue to emerge following a complaint lodged by Maroussi Basketball Club (KAE Maroussi) in April 2026 concerning the operation of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) and its president, Vangelis Liolios.

The complaint was followed by further allegations and statements from eight witnesses, two of whom are considered particularly significant because they have direct knowledge of alleged match-fixing.

Two witnesses are believed to have been bribed in the past. However, they will not face criminal liability because they came forward voluntarily to report what they knew about illegal activities in basketball.

The case file includes messages and other material that allegedly point to match-fixing across all levels of the sport, from youth and school competitions to the first division, over the period from 2016 to 2026.

It has also emerged that approximately 50 matches are under investigation, including one played abroad.

Arrests in the alleged match-fixing case

The arrest warrants were issued following an investigation by the sports prosecutor into allegations of criminal offences. According to reports, the six individuals are suspected, depending on the case, of bribery and accepting bribes under sports legislation.

The case reportedly concerns alleged match-fixing in Greece’s top basketball division and other competitions, dating back at least five years. The case file includes messages exchanged by club officials, as well as witness statements and complaints submitted to the sports prosecutor. Following the filing of charges, the case file was forwarded to an investigating judge, before whom the accused are expected to appear tomorrow to provide explanations.

According to information available so far, all six had been summoned to appear before the judicial official conducting the investigation but ignored the summons. The sports prosecutor subsequently brought charges and issued the arrest warrants.

The warrants concern George Mavraganis, an associate of Liolios at the Hellenic Basketball Federation; Vasiliki Tsaroucha; Petros Papapetrou; Ilias Koromilas; and Anastasios Piloudis, all basketball referees. All have been arrested except George Mavraganis.

International referee Vaso Tsaroucha taken to GADA

On Wednesday afternoon, international referee Vaso Tsaroucha, who was arrested at Athens International Airport immediately after returning from Istanbul, was taken to the General Police Directorate of Attica (GADA).

Tsaroucha is accused in connection with the alleged basketball match-fixing case. An arrest warrant had been issued against her and was executed by police at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.

Vaso Tsaroucha got out of the car without handcuffs, accompanied by police officers who escorted her to GADA. She is expected to be held there today alongside the other people arrested: three referees and EOK president Vangelis Liolios. They are all expected to appear before the investigating judge tomorrow, when they are expected to request and be granted additional time to prepare their defence.

€820,000 found in referee’s home

A sum of €820,000 was found inside a safe at the home of a referee in a provincial area during investigations into the alleged match-fixing scandal in Greek basketball, for which six arrest warrants have been issued.

According to the investigation, large sums of money have been found in the possession of people linked to the case. Reports indicate that the amounts cannot be accounted for.

EOK statement following arrests of Liolios and referees

A few hours after news broke of the arrest of Hellenic Basketball Federation president Vangelis Liolios, along with former and current basketball referees, the federation issued a brief, formal statement.

It read:

“The EOK Board of Directors held an extraordinary meeting today, 21 October 2026, to brief its members on the legal proceedings currently under way concerning the basketball sector.

The case will be monitored continuously through official announcements and procedures.”

Giannakopoulos after Liolios’s arrest: ‘You wanted a war with me? Kisses to you all’

Dimitris Giannakopoulos, owner of Panathinaikos Basketball Club, reacted sharply to the news of the arrest of EOK president Vangelis Liolios over alleged match-fixing in a story posted on his Instagram account.

“You wanted a war with me, too. You thought you would win. Why didn’t you ask first? One defeat — and even that, if you want, I can overturn — but I’ll leave it where it is. Kisses to you all,” the Panathinaikos owner said.

In a second post, Dimitris Giannakopoulos added: “They wanted a war. Now it’s prison time.”

‘You thought you could wear me down, that you could play games with Greek basketball – and you lost’

Dimitris Giannakopoulos also published a written statement about the day’s events.

“Today is a strange day.

On the one hand, I feel what every decent sports fan feels: vindication, relief, optimism and joy.

On the other, I think about what I have endured throughout all these years under the regime that has prevailed in basketball. I count hundreds of thousands of euros in fines, dozens of months banned from entering stadiums, endless lawsuits and complaints over my outspoken criticism of what everyone can now see clearly. And I feel anger.

I have just been served with a summons relating to the latest lawsuit filed against me by Olympiacos Basketball Club over my allegations concerning Papapetrou and Tsaroucha. I am holding yet another acquittal in a case brought by Olympiacos over posts I made about the EOK and the Central Refereeing Committee (KED). Before me is the recent lawsuit filed by Olympiacos against me over comments I made about Liolios (!) and some 50 complaints they have lodged against me for bringing the sport into disrepute — every time I count free throws, post clips from matches or insult those who are now in handcuffs.

Endless legal documents, finger-wagging, statements, character assassination, articles full of lies, targeted articles published by bought-and-paid-for media outlets, headlines dripping with blood — fighting everyone and everything — and lost titles decided by people with hundreds of thousands of euros in cash in their homes. Exhaustion and disappointment, but no surrender.

The voices have now turned into action. The guilty will be held to account. I am watching with great interest the first reactions — or THE ABSENCE OF ANY REACTION — from all those responsible and others, and I am waiting, even at this late stage, after so much destruction, filth and theft, for this disgrace to be overturned.

You thought you could wear me down. You thought you could play games with Greek basketball, with the sweat of our athletes and the patience of our fans.

And you lost.”